Many people wonder why certain kids stay loyal to their high school. For me, it is because the school itself became my home, and the people in it became my family. Earlier this year, my high school was torn down because the new and “improved” one was finally finished and ready for new students. As my friends and I drove by the construction site our eyes began to water. Many people do not understand this at all; they say it’s just a building. But to us, they were tearing down our memories and the walls that had kept us safe for four years. Newton North High School was far from perfect, but between the challenging academics, the intense athletics, and the incredible teachers, it was home.
Newton Public Schools are known in Massachusetts as being one of the top school systems, which put some pressure on us as students to uphold this reputation. Our school’s mission statement is “learning sustains the human spirit”, which seems simple, but the implications are numerous. We had academic expectations that were strictly enforced. Although I was not in many honors courses, I was pushed to strive for excellence. Being on honor roll was almost expected. We had a wide range of classes for different levels of students but they always made sure the classes challenged every student in them. Throughout the four years, our homework increased in amount and difficulty as they began preparing us for college. With all the resources Newton North gave us and the quality of the education itself, it was a clear expectation that we attend a good school for higher education. The amazing thing about it was even though our school was academically very competitive, instead of trying to push others down on our way up, we tried to rise together. My classmates and I supported each other academically and encouraged each other to be the best students we could be. We also supported each other in other aspects of life, including athletics.
High school athletics had a huge impact on me, and my abilities outside of the classroom. Our mascot was a tiger, and we all bled black and orange. Athletes at our school were definitely looked up to, but we were also expected to win. I played ice hockey and lacrosse, and had leadership roles on both teams. Each season, my teammates and I joined together as one to compete against top teams in the state. Our school supported us as student athletes, and made us feel like we mattered in the school. We learned so many lessons during sports that we never would have in the classroom. We learned sportsmanship, teamwork, and determination, which carried over into the classroom. Athletics also gave me most of the life long friends I have today. Our coach pushed us to become friends by a lesson he gave us one practice. He told us to race up the ice one by one with the puck, and timed us. Then, he spread us out in a line down the ice and told us to pass the puck down the ice in line to each other. It took much more time for one person to skate the puck down the ice than it did for us to pass the puck down the ice. From then on, we knew we had to work together. The camaraderie we had on the ice and/or field brought us together in a unique way. The experiences I had playing sports in high school really shaped my view on education. It showed me how much you can learn outside the classroom and how important it is to have something other than academics as an outlet.
Of course, high school would not have been what it was for me without one teacher who went the extra mile to help me succeed. Mr. Chinosi was my homeroom teacher, but he dealt with me more than the others in homeroom, as I would often show up at his office door worked up about something. He would roll his eyes at me after hearing the day’s drama and tell me over and over again that I needed to worry about things that matter, and not to sweat the small stuff. Somehow he got through to me. My life surprisingly got better after that idea sunk in. I was able to focus more on academics and athletics rather than pointless drama. But his impact on me didn’t just stop at that. After four years of bonding, he also proved to me that teachers aren’t robots. Two weeks before graduation, one of our most beloved counselors, Ucal, died suddenly. The whole school was devastated. The first day of school after Ucal’s passing, the hallway outside his now empty office was packed with students and teachers crying. Somehow, I made my way through to Mr. Chinosi, and hugged him. That hug, and many others around us, reinforced the idea that teachers and students impact each other’s lives not only in the classroom, but beyond it as well.
High school was definitely quite the rollercoaster, but my academics, sports, and role models allowed me to graduate with pride. Through all the confusion of those high school years, I found myself and was able to surround myself with incredible people. My best friends and I were each others rocks through high school and that will never be forgotten. My high school experience overall was exactly what I needed to take the next step in life. I felt extremely prepared going into college and have yet to be completely overwhelmed, which I contribute to how well my high school prepared me. They say “home is where your heart is;" Newton North will always have a piece of my heart.
Many people wonder why certain kids stay loyal to their high school. For me, it is because the school itself became my home, and the people in it became my family. Earlier this year, my high school was torn down because the new and “improved” one was finally finished and ready for new students. As my friends and I drove by the construction site our eyes began to water. Many people do not understand this at all; they say it’s just a building. But to us, they were tearing down our memories and the walls that had kept us safe for four years. Newton North High School was far from perfect, but between the challenging academics, the intense athletics, and the incredible teachers, it was home.
Newton Public Schools are known in Massachusetts as being one of the top school systems, which put some pressure on us as students to uphold this reputation. Our school’s mission statement is “learning sustains the human spirit”, which seems simple, but the implications are numerous. We had academic expectations that were strictly enforced. Although I was not in many honors courses, I was pushed to strive for excellence. Being on honor roll was almost expected. We had a wide range of classes for different levels of students but they always made sure the classes challenged every student in them. Throughout the four years, our homework increased in amount and difficulty as they began preparing us for college. With all the resources Newton North gave us and the quality of the education itself, it was a clear expectation that we attend a good school for higher education. The amazing thing about it was even though our school was academically very competitive, instead of trying to push others down on our way up, we tried to rise together. My classmates and I supported each other academically and encouraged each other to be the best students we could be. We also supported each other in other aspects of life, including athletics.
High school athletics had a huge impact on me, and my abilities outside of the classroom. Our mascot was a tiger, and we all bled black and orange. Athletes at our school were definitely looked up to, but we were also expected to win. I played ice hockey and lacrosse, and had leadership roles on both teams. Each season, my teammates and I joined together as one to compete against top teams in the state. Our school supported us as student athletes, and made us feel like we mattered in the school. We learned so many lessons during sports that we never would have in the classroom. We learned sportsmanship, teamwork, and determination, which carried over into the classroom. Athletics also gave me most of the life long friends I have today. Our coach pushed us to become friends by a lesson he gave us one practice. He told us to race up the ice one by one with the puck, and timed us. Then, he spread us out in a line down the ice and told us to pass the puck down the ice in line to each other. It took much more time for one person to skate the puck down the ice than it did for us to pass the puck down the ice. From then on, we knew we had to work together. The camaraderie we had on the ice and/or field brought us together in a unique way. The experiences I had playing sports in high school really shaped my view on education. It showed me how much you can learn outside the classroom and how important it is to have something other than academics as an outlet.
Of course, high school would not have been what it was for me without one teacher who went the extra mile to help me succeed. Mr. Chinosi was my homeroom teacher, but he dealt with me more than the others in homeroom, as I would often show up at his office door worked up about something. He would roll his eyes at me after hearing the day’s drama and tell me over and over again that I needed to worry about things that matter, and not to sweat the small stuff. Somehow he got through to me. My life surprisingly got better after that idea sunk in. I was able to focus more on academics and athletics rather than pointless drama. But his impact on me didn’t just stop at that. After four years of bonding, he also proved to me that teachers aren’t robots. Two weeks before graduation, one of our most beloved counselors, Ucal, died suddenly. The whole school was devastated. The first day of school after Ucal’s passing, the hallway outside his now empty office was packed with students and teachers crying. Somehow, I made my way through to Mr. Chinosi, and hugged him. That hug, and many others around us, reinforced the idea that teachers and students impact each other’s lives not only in the classroom, but beyond it as well.
High school was definitely quite the rollercoaster, but my academics, sports, and role models allowed me to graduate with pride. Through all the confusion of those high school years, I found myself and was able to surround myself with incredible people. My best friends and I were each others rocks through high school and that will never be forgotten. My high school experience overall was exactly what I needed to take the next step in life. I felt extremely prepared going into college and have yet to be completely overwhelmed, which I contribute to how well my high school prepared me. They say “home is where your heart is;" Newton North will always have a piece of my heart.